More Than I Bargained For More Than I Bargained For


After my short shift, I decided to hit the road. Forks was on the other side of the country. I sped at inhuman speeds on the highway. My lights were off, and the midnight black of my Mercedes made me virtually invisible.

It is part of my nature to save people. Even when I was a newborn, I couldn't even think about human blood. I was a monster. A wild animal that couldn't be tamed. Weakness and desperation led me to a new way of life a way of life that doesn't involve being a true monster. Feeding off of animals was easier for me to accept rather than feasting off of humans. I discovered that my passion was saving human lives. I got over my thirst for human blood and became skillful in what I took seriously.

When a human needed my medical attention, they got it. For me, it's almost like a pull to my body. And resisting that pull was almost painful. So eventually I stopped resisting and gave people what they needed. And if my efforts succeeded, I always felt as I could be flying. It is such a gratifying feeling to know that people can be saved by your 300 years of experience. But sometimes its not about the long names for diagnosis's and medical terms. Sometimes it's logic that can save a patient.

This case was curious. Something extremely tragic must have happened to this patient. If she totally shut herself away from the world on purpose to avoid what was hurting her so deeply, she must have lost a part of her that couldn't be replaced. I know I would be the same way if I lost Esme.

I raced with the sun from the east to the west. It was a little before sunrise that I found myself speeding into Forks. I slowed down as the light returned to the sky. But I still traveled over the speed limit. A patient's life was slipping away and I couldn't just take my time because it's more convenient. It was morally wrong.

I pulled into the Forks Community Hospital at 5:30 a.m. The second day after Christmas. There were few cars in the parking lot. There might be two doctors, a couple of nurses, and a secretary running the registration desk. I pulled into my usual spot. Or what used to be my usual spot. I cut the engine the moment I parked. I walked briskly to the entrance and slid through the seemingly slow sliding doors. I quickly walked over to the registration desk and accosted the bored, tired secretary.

"Good morning," I said pleasantly.

Her eyes flashed opened and she nearly jumped out of her chair. "Oh," she readjusted herself in her seat, "good morning to you sir, how may I help you?"

"I am looking for Doctor Gerandy. I need to see him straight away." I was calm, but urgent.

"Dr. Gerandy? Of course, just one moment-" She was cut off when Dr. Gerandy strode in from the recovering wing of the hospital.

"Oh! Wonderful. You're here. I'm so glad you made it here so quickly." He walked quickly over to me. I took his hand firmly in mine and shook it.

"Of course. I wanted to help as soon as I could. I wanted to spend some time with my family though. Now," time to see the patient, "where is the girl?"

He turned and said over his shoulder, "Follow me."

We walked back through the swinging doors to the recovering wing of the hospital. It was very nostalgic. As I walked through the long hallway, I remembered some of the patients I took care of. I remembered was pulled in here on a stretcher with a neck brace. She was so embarrassed. I discovered her recovered head injuries. But Tyler Crowley was in worse shape than Bella was after that accident. Though she would've been worse than Mr. Crowley if Edward hadn't acted as he did. She would've been dead.

We stopped at one of the rooms on the farther end. He grabbed the statistics folder and slowly opened the door and peaked around the corner, as if he was unsure of something. He looked as if he could've woken a baby after it had just gone to sleep.

"Okay. I just had to see if her father was here. He usually leaves early for his job though. But we can go in. Though I was rather hoping he would be here to see you. Apparently there's a lot to talk about with the family." That's true. If worse comes to worse, I will have to take her back to Ithaca with me.

We walked in slowly. The white curtain was pulled back. The window had left over snow on the outside sill. There was a cot in the corner with the best view of the T.V. The pale green walls were slightly inappropriate for a hospital. The color sometimes had resembled the color of a patients face if he or she was sick. Which is exactly what I felt like when I looked at who was lying in the bed, attached to the life support, heart monitor, and IV machine. I felt my silent heart drop all the way to my feet. I wanted to crumble to the floor.

The familiar rich, dark, mahogany hair, combed neatly on the lumpy pillow, the skin that was as pale as mine, covered waist down with heavy blankets. If my heart were still beating, it would've stopped. I let out a strained whisper.

"Bella," It was inaudible to human ears. She was so still. The heartbeats seemed to fade away all together as I stared at her still, white figure. This was exactly what Edward was trying to avoid. This was our worst nightmare.

I walked slowly over to her bed. I brushed away the stray hairs on her forehead and tucked them behind her ear. I had completely forgotten Dr. Gerandy in the room with me until he started to talk about Charlie and Renee.

"Charlie spends nights here. He comes here straight from the station. I don't know how he can live off of hospital food when I can barely tolerate it for lunch," he let out a strained laugh. "Renee came for a couple of weeks. But she had to return to Florida when her new husband got injured playing baseball. She was a wreck for the duration of her stay. I think it's a good thing that she got out of here. She might have had to be sent to an asylum for her hysterics." He let out a deep sigh. My eyes never left Bella.

"What happened?" I asked so quietly, he lent in to hear.

He let out another sigh. "I don't know. I took a look at her after that Sam Uley boy found her in the woods," woods? What happened in the woods? "She just seemed really dazed. She was definitely focused on something that wasn't present. Her eyes were real glossy and unfocused. She might have caught a small cold from spending most of the afternoon and night lying in the rain in the woods, but I didn't know it was possible for it to lead to this. All she said for a really long time was, 'he's gone'. She didn't say anything else until we brought her back to the house. Then she started to come to, but wasn't all there." He paused for a moment. My curiosity got the best of me.

"What happened in the woods? When did this happen?" I couldn't help but ask, but I had a feeling I already knew the answer. Even though I really didn't want to.

"I think it was a couple of days after you left, Carlisle. Charlie called her in missing after it got dark. She went out for a walk. I gues she must have gotten lost and tripped and hit her head. I guess that's why she was on the brink of unconsciousness when Sam returned with her. She could barely lift her head. But it was a good thing that Sam Uley was there. Good kid. It was deep in the woods, too. It was amazing that he even found her. It was so dark and rainy." Guilt shot through me like a lightening bolt. It didn't take long for me to piece together the clues. Edward took her out for a walk. He told her that we were leaving, said goodbye, and she tried to follow his non-existent trail. This girl was extraordinary.

"I don't know what I can do for her here. I don't have the equipment necessary to take a closer look at the problem,"I didn't need a closer look. But she needed to be elsewhere. "I need to speak with Charlie and see what he thinks about me treating her in Los Angeles. The hospital has everything I need and several specialists that could help her. She just might pull through if I take her." It was not hard to convince him that this was the right thing to do. NO one here questioned my judgement.

I turned to face Dr. Gerandy for the first time in a couple of minutes. He nodded in agreement. "Charlie usually gets here around 12 for his lunch break. Then he comes back around five and stays for the night. He entertains himself by watching the sports channel most of the time. I can't imagine him not going along with your plan. The guy is so desperate to save her. She's his only family." He shook his head.

I turned back to Bella. Still lying as still as a statue.

I had a strange impulse to speak with her. "Excuse my asking, but could you leave the room please? I just want to examine her alone." I didn't want to impose any objection I had towards him, so I put it as gently as I could.

He seemed to understand. He just nodded and said, "Of course." Then he turned around and left the room.

I continued to gaze at Bella. My eyes were stinging a little bit. I felt like I was crying.

"Bella, what have I done? I knew this was the wrong thing to do. So why didn't I stop this? I could have. I shouldn't have destroyed you like this. I'm so sorry Bella. I shouldn't have let Edward have his way this time. He should've known this is how you would react. But every time I brought up the dangers of leaving, and the dangers you faced on a daily basis, he would just say, 'Bella promised…" Edward would be shattered if he saw you like this. But I think he needs to see this. To see that this obscene decision to leave was a mistake. I think him seeing you would bring an end to this mess. He just might be the cure, too. I think it's the only way to make sure this never happens again," I caressed her expressionless, pale face. Remembering how her cheeks used to turn a deep scarlet. "Edward will be upset, but not nearly as upset as he would if he saw you dead—" I couldn't bear the thought. So I cut it off.

I don't know how long I stood there for, but the next thing I knew I heard footsteps heading towards the room. They were heavy, sluggish, footsteps. I looked at the clock on the wall opposite of the bed. It was 12:15. I deduced that it was Charlie coming back on his lunch break. Had I really let so much time pass?

The footsteps reached the room and Charlie opened the door. Charlie looked tired. The bruises under his eyes were so purple, they almost looked black. His shoulders were hunched over; probably from exhaustion. And his hair looked disarrayed, the longer-than-normal curls were wild on top of his head. But his eyes had life to them now. His eyes were glistening with tears. He clenched his eyes closed and laid his head back. You could tell that he was flying. I couldn't read minds like Edward, but this emotion was plain on the broken man's face.

"Hello, Charlie," I decided to be the first to speak. It looked to me that he needed a moment to collect himself.

He opened his eyes and walked, more like ran over, to take my hand and shake it. It was like he was reassuring that I was actually here, and not just a dream.

"Thank you for coming Carlisle," his voice was thick with tears of relief. He dropped my hand. "She needs you real bad. Have you taken a look at her yet?" He asked warily. His chocolate eyes gazed at me with hope. For a moment I thought I was looking into Bella's eyes. He turned to look at her.

"Yes. I have." I didn't want to go into detail about why she was like this.

He looked as if he was waiting for more. I was hoping to avoid this. "Well, what's wrong with her?"

I needed to make something up quick, so I opened up the statistics folder Dr. Gerandy left on the eating table.

I found what I needed.

"It looks as if the brain stopped receiving the proper nutrients that it needs to function. Her sugar levels were low when you brought her here. My theory is that the brain doesn't have the energy required to work at a normal pace," I saw worry flash across his face. "Her brain is still working," I reassured him, "it's just working at a slower than normal pace. And to do the simplest of actions, such as moving a hand or blinking an eye, the brain would be working over time. And having traces of carbon monoxide in her system doesn't help either."

He was still looking at her when he asked, "So what are your suggestions for treatment?" He asked quietly.

I put on an honest face. "Well, I don't have the equipment necessary to treat her here. I thought if we put her in a compression chamber and got rid of the traces of carbon monoxide, she might gain enough strength to open her eyes. But I don't want her under anybody else's care right now. Not even Dr. Gerandy knew what to do, and he is a very intelligent man," just less experienced than I. As well as any other doctor. "So I was wondering if I may have your permission to move her to my hospital in Los Angeles. They have all I need and more and they have several specialists that could help her. But it would be next to impossible to treat her here. I truly believe that if you give me some time with her, she will come through this in flying colors." I didn't know if he would let his daughter out from his grasp, especially near new years, but I didn't think he would pass up the opportunity to get her better either,

His decision came quickly. "Of course Carlisle! Whatever you need to do, whatever can help her, just do it." He was holding back the tears.

I nodded. "Thank you. I will need to make flight arrangements, but I'm pretty sure I can get her out of here by tomorrow morning." I might need Alice or Jasper's to help me there.

He let out a shaky side. "Okay." He walked over to Bella a brushed the back of his hand over her forehead.

Bella wasn't the only one who needed help. "Charlie, I know this is very difficult for you. So if I may make a suggestion," I waited for him to turn back to me. "Go home. Go to work. You should visit your friends down at La Push. I'm sure they can help you through this. You can go and watch the games at Billy's instead of in an unenthusiastic hospital. You would be in better spirits if the ones around you were." He needed a friend, company at the very least.

I gestured him to the door so we could speak out in the hall. And I'm pretty sure he needed to be back at the station in a couple of minutes. He nodded, took one last glance at Bella, and turned to walk out the door.

I shut the door behind us. Charlie looked like he had something to say.

"What is it Charlie?" He looked almost embarrassed.

"Well, I appreciate all you are doing for Bella, but there is a matter of medical bills…"

I widened my eyes in alarm. "Please! Don't worry of such a thing. I will cover the expenses." I didn't want to ruin his blissful mood by admitting that this was partially my fault.

"I will take care of her Charlie. But I would really appreciate it if you kept this exchange quiet. I don't want anyone else to know that I was here. What do Bella's friends know about this?" If her friends knew they would probably wonder where she had gone if she wasn't in the hospital.

"I informed the school. But I had them tell the students she moved back with her mother. I didn't want them to know. They already thought she was a zombie by the way she acted. They kept calling and Bella kept on not answering. And soon, they just stopped calling. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't any talk of her at all." He ended in a helpless tone.

Once again, curiosity hit me.

"What happened after we left Charlie?" I asked very quietly.

He sat down in one of the chairs outside the room and put his face in his hands. I took the seat next to him.

After I brought her home from the woods, she was just really dazed. Like she was focusing on something that wasn't even there. Then she went to go to sleep. For a week she didn't do anything. She didn't move, didn't eat or drink, and didn't talk. Dr. Gerandy threw around words like 'catatonic', but I didn't let him up to see Bella. I thought he would scare her. But for a week she did this. I tried waking her up after a week, and no matter what I did, she just wouldn't wake up. So I brought her here. They kept saying that she would wake up soon if she was hydrated and had some sugar in her, but nothing has worked. Renee wanted to do what she called a 'shout-out' to you. She saw what you did for Bella in Phoenix and thought that you could help. I guess she was right."

I absorbed this for a moment. She was in so much pain, she didn't want to wake up. She couldn't bare the thought of waking up with Edward gone. It was a living nightmare to her. Dreams only existed to her in her sleep.

But then I thought of Renee. She would need to know about this. I pulled out a sheet of paper from my brief case and a pen. I wrote down my cell number and house number. Keeping her at the hospital would be pointless. Nothing there could help her.

"Here is my cell and the hospital's number. If you need anything, just call either of these. You should probably tell Renee. She will want to know. But in the meantime, I think you should get back to work." I nodded towards the clock above the entrance to the hall.

He let out a deep sigh. "I guess I should. I will come back tonight to say goodbye." We stood up and started walking out towards the waiting room.

When we were out, the waiting room was still empty.

Charlie was heading out when I said, "And Charlie," he turned back to face me. "She will be on her way by tomorrow morning. I promise you she will be safe. I will do my best to take care of her."

His eyes were grateful. He nodded and continued out the door.

The moment he was out I headed back to Bella's room. I needed to make a phone call.

I walked into the room, pulled out my cell, and immediately started dialing. The phone rang once.

"Hello? Carlisle?" Alice's voice chimed worriedly.

"Alice," I started, "It's Bella."